1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to measuring tapes and in particular to measuring tapes retractably wound on spools rotatably mounted in housings.
2. Description of the Background Art
In one form of measuring tape, the tape is wound on a spool within a relatively flat cylindrical housing. The distal end of the tape extends outwardly through an opening in a peripheral wall of the housing, permitting the tape to be withdrawn from the spool for use in effecting measurements related to scale markings on the tape.
A problem has arisen in such measuring tapes of the prior art in that the tape often becomes improperly wound on the spool when rewound into the housing following a measurement operation. More specifically, the tape may have random displacement parallel to the axis of the spool as it is being rewound thereonto. Such uneven rewinding of the tape causes undesirable angular extension thereof through the housing opening as the tape is withdrawn, resulting in an uneven movement of the tape from the housing, and a tendency to undesirably wear the edges of the tape as a result of forceful engagement thereof with the edges of the opening.
The opposite edges of the opening, in the direction parallel to the axis of the spool, may be spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width of the tape so that there is a substantial tendency for such wear of the tape edges as a result of such randomly displaced winding of the tape on the spool.
While the housing opening is effectively centered on the center plane of the housing between the top and bottom walls thereof, such erratic winding of the tape on the spool is a common vexatious problem in such measuring tapes and has not been satisfactorily solved heretofore, notwithstanding the longfelt need for elimination of such undesirable tape wear.